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I don’t think I have been to a Chili’s in over a decade, but I’m still eating their signature molten lava cakes because I can make them at home with this copycat recipe!
Homemade chocolate lava cakes are way easier to make than you’d think, and that hot fudge oozing out is such a crowd pleaser! Don’t forget to serve with a scoop of ice cream!
Table of Contents
- What are Lava Cakes?
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Molten Lava Cake Ingredients
- How to Make Lava Cakes
- Can I Prep Molten Chocolate Lava Cakes in Advance?
- Can I Reheat Molten Lava Cakes in the Oven?
- Can I Make Lava Cakes From Homemade Cake?
- Can I Use Another Type of Boxed Cake Mix?
- More EASY CAKE RECIPES:
- Watch How This Recipe is Made…
- Chocolate Molten Lava Cakes Recipe
What are Lava Cakes?
Molten chocolate lava cakes are moist chocolate cakes filled with a delicious fudge sauce that are topped with ice cream and a homemade magic chocolate shell. Lava cakes are served warm, and the cold ice cream is a delicious contrast.
It is a popular Chili’s dessert recipe, but you can find it at several restaurants these days. We love to make it for special occasions like holiday gatherings or Valentine’s Day.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Restaurant-quality at home. Just like Chili’s — gooey chocolate center, melty ice cream, and all.
- Easier than it looks. Simple steps and basic ingredients for a show-stopping dessert.
- Make-ahead friendly. Prep the cakes in advance, then reheat right before serving.
- Perfect for celebrations. Impress guests or treat yourself to a special dessert night in.
- That chocolate lava moment. Break into the center and watch the warm, fudgy goodness flow!
Molten Lava Cake Ingredients
The ingredients needed to make the molten chocolate lava cakes are pantry staples, making it far too easy to whip up a batch of these babies at a moment’s notice.
Here’s what we used in this copycat Chili molten lava cake recipe:
- Duncan Hines Fudge Cake Mix: The base of the recipe — it provides the chocolate flavor, structure, and rich, moist crumb for the cake.
- Eggs: Add structure and stability while helping the cake rise and stay soft and tender inside.
- Milk: Replaces some of the water in the box mix for a richer flavor and more tender texture.
- Vegetable Oil: Adds moisture and helps create that soft, gooey center without making the cake greasy.
- Sour Cream: Enhances moisture, gives a denser, bakery-style texture, and adds a subtle tang that balances the sweetness.
- Hot Fudge: Creates the molten, gooey lava center and deepens the chocolate flavor for that indulgent, restaurant-style finish.
- NOTE: We’ve included a great hot fudge recipe in the recipe card below, but I won’t even blink an eye if you skip it and just buy hot fudge from the ice cream section at the store.
- Ice Cream: Cools and contrasts the warm, fudgy cake — it’s the classic pairing that makes each bite creamy and irresistible.
- Magic Shell: Adds a touch of fun and texture — it hardens over the ice cream for that satisfying crack and extra chocolate flair.
- NOTE: Though I do think homemade magic shell is far too easy to not do yourself, you could buy that as well.
How to Make Lava Cakes
Even after making these chocolate molten lava cakes as many times as I have, I’m still shocked at how simple they are to make at home! Here’s the basic rundown of how to make lava cakes:
- Combine: Whisk together the dry cake mix, eggs, sour cream, milk and oil.
- Bake: Fill greased cupcake tins 3/4 full, then bake the cakes according to package instructions.
- Add Fudge Filling: Once baked, turn the cakes onto their tops. Gently cut a hole in the middle. Fill each chocolate lava cake with hot fudge (homemade or store-bought works).
- Freeze: Place the filled cakes into the freezer for 30 minutes.
- Reheat: Warm up the cakes in the microwave for 30 seconds, until warmed through and the hot fudge center is gooey.
- Serve: Top with ice cream and chocolate magic shell, if desired.
Can I Prep Molten Chocolate Lava Cakes in Advance?
Yes, you can make this easy molten lava cake recipe ahead and freeze the cakes for up to 2 days. Then reheat them in the microwave like you normally would.
Can I Reheat Molten Lava Cakes in the Oven?
If you don’t have a microwave, you can certainly reheat these molten chocolate lava cakes in the oven. Set your oven to the lowest temperature it’ll go, then place the lava cakes on a baking sheet and gently cover with foil so they don’t dry out.
Place the covered chocolate molten lava cakes into the oven and warm for about 10 to 15 minutes, depending on how hot your oven is.
Can I Make Lava Cakes From Homemade Cake?
Yes, if you’d rather not use a boxed cake mix you’re welcome to use your favorite homemade chocolate cake instead.
Can I Use Another Type of Boxed Cake Mix?
You likely can, although we recommend using a chocolate cake mix of some kind. If you use another boxed cake mix and it turns out well for you, please let us know by leaving a comment down below!
Tips for Making Restaurant-Style Molten Lava Cake
- The boxed cake mix in this recipe is added to the lava cake batter as a dry ingredient. You do NOT add the ingredients called for on the side of the box. You use only the dry cake mix powder.
- We use this jumbo muffin pan which I got off of Amazon. It was cheaper than at other stores and better quality. Yes, quality matters as you don’t want a pan that will quickly brown the cakes.
- If your cakes are domed after baking, just hurry and turn them out onto a wire cooling rack dome side down and they will flatten as they cool.
- When you are cutting the cakes, be very mindful of how far down your knife reaches. As you are cutting it’s easy to forget and accidentally poke through the bottom of the chocolate cakes and we don’t want that!
There’s just something magical about that first spoonful of warm, fudgy cake and cool, creamy ice cream — it never gets old. This Copycat Chili’s Molten Lava Cake brings that same restaurant magic right to your kitchen, no reservation needed. It’s rich, gooey, and guaranteed to make any night feel special. So grab a fork (and maybe an extra scoop of ice cream) and treat yourself — you’ve earned it!
More EASY CAKE RECIPES:
- Lemon Cake
- Strawberries and Cream Jello Cake
- Orange Jello Cake
- Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake
- Orange Bundt Cake
- Chocolate Cherry Cake
- The Very Best Banana Pudding Bundt Cake
- ALL OF OUR CAKE RECIPES!
Watch How This Recipe is Made…
Chocolate Molten Lava Cakes
Ingredients
Molten Lava Cakes
- 1 Box Duncan Hines Fudge Cake Mix
- 3 Large Eggs
- 1/2 Cup Sour Cream
- 1 Cup Milk
- 1/2 Cup Oil
- Vanilla Ice Cream, for serving
- Chocolate Shell Ice Cream Topping, for serving
- Caramel Sauce, for serving
Hot Fudge
- 1 Can Sweetened Condensed Milk, 14-oz.
- 1 Bag Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips, 12-oz.
- 4 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
- 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1 Pinch Salt
Magic Shell
- 2 Cups Chocolate Chips, (we do half milk, half semi-sweet or all semi-sweet)
- 1/4 Cup Coconut Oil
Instructions
Make the Lava Cakes:
- In a large bowl, stir together the dry cake mix, eggs, sour cream, milk and oil.1 Box Duncan Hines Fudge Cake Mix, 3 Large Eggs, 1 Cup Milk, 1/2 Cup Oil, 1/2 Cup Sour Cream
- Spray a large cupcake pan with nonstick spray and evenly distribute batter 3/4 way full. Bake according to package directions.
- Turn the cakes out onto their tops creating a “volcano” and allow to cool.
- Using a pairing or serrated knife, gently cut a hole out of the center without going clear to the bottom.
- Fill with hot fudge that is cool and then slice off the bottom circle of the piece of cake you removed and place it on the hot fudge hole like a lid.
- Freeze for 30 minutes, up to 2 days with plastic wrap over the pan of cakes.
- Remove the cakes from the freezer and reheat in the microwave until warm, about 30 seconds.
- Top with ice cream, caramel, and magic shell.Vanilla Ice Cream, Chocolate Shell Ice Cream Topping, Caramel Sauce
Make the Hot Fudge:
- Melt all of the ingredients in a medium sauce pan over medium heat.1 Can Sweetened Condensed Milk, 1 Bag Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips, 4 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract, 1 Pinch Salt
- Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
- Continue to boil and stir for two minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat and continue to stir for one minute.
- Allow the fudge sauce to cool.
Make the Magic Shell:
- Place the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl along with the coconut oil and slowly heat for 30 second intervals, stirring often until melted.2 Cups Chocolate Chips, 1/4 Cup Coconut Oil
- Serve over cold ice cream and it will harden.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Delicious!!
Thank you!
What oven temperature do you bake those in?
We follow the instructions on the box for it, I believe it is 350
Hi, looks DELICIOUS! I’m going to try it asap.
Can you use a regular bundt cake to make this too? I’m wanting to try it both ways.
Thank you in advance
Anne
That is a great question! We’ve never tried it but I don’t see why not! Just back the cake according to the directions on the cake mix for a bundt cake. Let us know how it goes!
Too much fudge. Can I store in fridge and how long will it keep? I’ll have to say this dessert is my favorite!
What a fun dessert to make at home!!!
Thanks!
This cake is amazing!!
Can you please tell me what pan you used, could not get the link to work. Went on Amazon there were quite a few Texas Muffin pans, don’t want to choose a dud. Can’t wait to make these as a surprise treat for my daughter, she goes to Chili’s just for the lava cake. Thanks!
Oh thank you for the heads up! I’ll fix it right away, but here’s the link https://amzn.to/2tdinZd
That’s the one we prefer as our other pan is dark (like in the video) and it doesn’t bake as evenly as this one.
Can you replace vegetable oil for the coconut oil in the magic shell? And are the cakemix ingredients listed in the recipe? Or is the milk eggs and oil extra?
Yes, you definitely can, though we have seen coconut oil turn out a little better. 🙂 You just use the cake mix with the ingredients listed. 🙂
I have never had one of these at Chili’s, but I don’t care for Chili’s as they put pepper on everything :/
Do they? That’s not fun. Hope you’ll give this a try at home 🙂
milk or semisweet chocolate?
Whichever you prefer is fine, but we usually do a combination or just milk.